Arkansas Valley National Bank
placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1902.
Location. 36° 20.286′ N, 96° 48.249′ W. Marker is in Pawnee, Oklahoma, in Pawnee County. It is at the intersection of Harrison Street (U.S. 64) and 6th Street, on the left when traveling east on Harrison Street. The marker is mounted at waist-level, directly on the subject building, on the right side of the southeast corner entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 608 Harrison Street, Pawnee OK 74058, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Tulsa. It is also in the American South, specifically on the prairies, and on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically,
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: This Bank Founded on February 8, 1894 (within shouting distance of this marker); Chester Gould Birthplace 1900 (within shouting distance of this marker); Pawnee Nation Code Talkers of World War II (within shouting distance of this marker); 45th Infantry Division (within shouting distance of this marker); Built in 1908 by the Mentzer Family (within shouting distance of this marker); Pawnee County Veterans Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show (approx. 0.8 miles away); Wild West Show (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pawnee.
Regarding Arkansas Valley National Bank. National Register of Historic Places № 78002256.
From the National Register Nomination prepared by Kent Ruth, Oklahoma Historical Society, 12/1977:
Built in 1902, the Arkansas Valley Bank had as a principal Gordon W. ("Pawnee Bill") Lillie, the noted Wild West showman and conservationist.The bank was built of rough-cut native stone, gray-brown in color, with numerous chimney pots and turreted and ornamented second-story false front.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 10, 20242. Arkansas Valley National Bank MarkerThe marker is mounted on the right side of the southeast corner entrance.It is an excellent example of turn-of-the-century bank construction in small town Oklahoma. Its most dominant feature is a corner wall, on the bias, that accommodates a high arched entrance under a pillared classic portico. The exterior of the building retains most of its original character. All interior walls and ceilings are of plaster over wood lathe. The old bank vault (with traditionally decorative door), a wall clock, the tile floor, and some marble wainscoting of the original bank building remain.
The bank itself closed around 1918. Over the years the ground floor has accommodated a doctor's office, cafe, and other enterprises. Since 1946 it has housed a jewelry and curio store. The upstairs has long been unused, but for storage. However, the still handsome landmark one of the town's earliest surviving permanent business structures remains essentially unaltered.
Also see . . . Arkansas Valley National Bank (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: The Arkansas Valley National Bank,(Submitted on February 11, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)constructed in 1902, is a two-story, 30 feet x 90 feet sandstone structure located in Pawnee, Oklahoma. Constructed in a Late Victorian architectural style, it was Pawnee's original bank. When the building opened, the bank occupied the first floor, while a doctor, photographer, and local telephone office occupied the second floor. The bank closed around 1918, and the building has served as various storefronts since.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 10, 20243. Arkansas Valley National Bank (southwest elevation)Originally the bank was to be called the Pawnee County Bank, and this name is engraved on the east wall; however it was chartered as the Arkansas Valley National Bank. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 11, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 10, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 267 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on February 11, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
